Confirmation hearings are taking place for President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks, Department of the Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum, State Department secretary nominee Marco Rubio, Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi and Department of Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth. President Joe Biden gives his farewell address to the nation among the highlights of this week in Washington.

Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket on its unmanned maiden voyage into space from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on January 16, 2025. Amazon's Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000, and it has been developing the New Glenn rocket for more than a decade.

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol rally near his residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, after he was detained by police on January 15, 2025. This marks the first time in South Korean history a sitting president has been arrested.

SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying two lunar landers from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 15, 2025. The rocket carried Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost and ispace's Resilience to the moon.

A group of Israelis including those with family members who have been taken hostage call for a hostage deal and cease-fire with Hamas outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem on January 14, 2025. An initial, 42-day cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, being negotiated in Doha could be finalized soon.

Evacuated residents and those who lost their homes get supplies and aid at the Clay House of Pasadena, which was turned into a donation center in Altadena, Calif., on January 12, 2025. The death toll has reached 24 as firefighter crews fully contained three of the fires.

Giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao enjoy some bamboo at their newly renovated habitat at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington on January 10, 2025. Bao Li and Qing Bao will make their public debuts at the zoo on January 24.

Car enthusiasts and automakers attend the Tokyo Auto Salon 2025 event at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, Japan, on January 10, 2025. The annual car culture event runs through January 12.

President Joe Biden gives a briefing on the federal government's response to the wildfires raging through Los Angeles, a state funeral is held for former President Jimmy Carter and Congress meets to certify President-elect Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 election, among the highlights of this week in Washington.

Five southern California wildfires in Los Angeles County ravaged the area, including the Eaton Canyon area of Altadena and along the Pacific Coast Highway January 8 and 9. Ten people are confirmed dead and more than 180,000 have been told to evacuate.

A state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter is taking place at Washington National Cathedral in Washington on January 9, 2025. President-elect Donald Trump is attending, along with President Joe Biden and former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died December 29, 2024, at age 100.

Former President Jimmy Carter is lying in state inside the U.S. Capitol rotunda in Washington on January 7, 2025. Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died December 29, 2024, at age 100.

SpaceX successfully launched 21 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 8, 2025. The launch comes after SpaceX recently sent 24 of the communication satellites to low-Earth orbit.

Tech company leaders and inventors introduce new products during the annual Consumer Electronics Show at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas from January 5 to January 10, 2025.

SpaceX successfully launched its first Starlink mission of 2025 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on January 6, 2025. SpaceX sent 24 of the communication satellites to low-Earth orbit.

The Israel Antiquities Authority has discovered a large monastery complex from the Roman and Byzantine periods near the Kiryat Gat neighborhood on January 6, 2025. The site contains a church with a mosaic floor, a sophisticated winepress and ceramic items.

The Chinese and Japanese zodiac sign for this year is the snake. On January 3, 2025, visitors flocked to the Hebikubo Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, -- a site dedicated to dragon gods and white snakes -- to celebrate the occasion.

President Joe Biden presented the Presidential Citizens Medal to 20 people during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington on January 2, 2025. The Presidential Citizens Medal is bestowed by the President to individuals who have performed exemplary deeds or services.

Under a steady rain, an estimated one million revelers packed Times Square in New York on New Year's Eve on December 31, 2024 to watch the iconic Waterford Crystal ball drop. Despite the weather, the celebration drew cheers from the crowd and over a billion viewers worldwide as 2025 was ushered in with glittering lights and timeless tradition.

The 136th annual Tournament of Roses Parade took place in Pasadena, Calif., on January 1, 2025. Celebrating this year’s theme, "Dreams in Bloom," the iconic New Year's Day tradition dazzled spectators with its artistry and community spirit.